Vacuum breaker



K'. BAUMANN.

VACUUM BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIO |921 19432273, 19mm@ oct. 3,17, w22.

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XVESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MAN'UFACTUBENG- COMPANY, A COREORATON OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Application` filed May 10,

To all 'whom it may conce/m.'

Be it known that l, KARL BAUMANN, a citizen of the Confederation of Switzerland, and a resident of Northwoodhouse, Barnfield, Urmston, in the county of Lancaster, England, have inventeda new and useful improvement in Vacuum Breakers, of which the following is a specification.

rl`his invention relates to vacuum breakers for steam condensers of the direct contact type.

Condenser-s of this type are usually provided with a water storage reservoir for preventing the level of the water in the condenser rising to such a height as to enter the exhaust steam connections or even the prime mover itself before the vacuum breaker has had time to operate in the event of the speed ofthe extraction pump being reduced from any cause without the quantity of the injection water being reduced proportionately at the same time.

Such water storage reservoir oricapacity has heretofore been providedmainly by increasing the height of the main body of the condenser and the present invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of condenser having the desired water storage capacity but in which the over-all height of the condenser is kept small.

'inis is accomplished according to the present invention by forming the water storage reservoir at the side of the condenser.

ln carrying out the invention according to one form, a Weir or weirs is or are formed extending upwards inside theA Vcondenser body to within a short distance of the outlet opening of the mixing cone. A float chamber containing the ioat operated vacuum breaker communicates with the space enclosed by the weir or weirs. The water storage reservoir is located at the side of the condenser and is separated from the interior thereof by the weir or weirs, the height of which is determined by the maximum height to which water may be safely permitted to rise in the condenser. Said reservoir is of such capacity as will amply contain the maximum quantity of water which could flow through the injection nozzles during the period which must elapse between the opening of the vacuum breaker and the reduction of the quantity of injection water conse quent upon the loss of vacuum in the con- VACUUM BREAKER.

1921. Serial No. 453,299.

denser due to the inflow of air through the Vacuum breaker valve.

Suitable means are provided for draining the reservoir and `where the air pump is of the rotary type this may conveniently con- '.sist of a pipe connection leading from the reservoir to the secondstage of the pump.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which z- Figure l is a front elevation partly in section, of a condenser constructed in accord ance with the invention, and Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof, also partly in section.

ln the drawings, l is the condenser body or shell, 2 the steam inlet, 3 ltheinlet for the condensing water which passes throughnozsales, someof which are shown at 4, into the mixing chamber 5, which terminates in a cone G. 7 are the extraction pumps arranged at the foot of the condenser, as shown, and 8 is the air pump which communicates with lthe condenser space by means of the pipe 9.

As illustrated these pumps are of the rotary type but other kinds may be employed as desired.

The air pump -8 is illustrated as a twostage pump having a rotary first stage 8 and a second stage 8 of the ejector type. The vacuum breaker is indicated at l() and is of usual construction, the operating float thereof being indicated at ll and the air pipe con necting the mixing chambers with the vacuum breaker valve is indicated at l2.

le are the weirs which are arranged in the body of the condenser and extend upwardly to within a short distance of the outlet opening of the mixing cone 6, as clearly shown in Figure l the said weirs enclosing a space 15. An opening 16 is provided in the wall of one of the weirs 14 and places the space l5 in communication with a float chamber 17 containing the float l1 of the vacuum breaker l0. rlhe storage reservoir is indicated at 18 and is arrangedv at the side of the condenser body or shell l and may either be formed integral with the said casing or may be a separate casting attached to the condenser in any suitable manner. Suitable means are provided for draining the reservoir 18 and in the drawing 19 is a pipe connecting the reservoir with the second stage 8 of the air pump 8 for this purpose.

The normal level of the water in the condenser, that is tosay, in the space 15 is indicated at 20. Should, however, the water level rise, as would happen for example if the speed of the extraction pump were suddently reduced from any cause without the supply of injection water being proportionatelyy reduced, the water passing through the opening 16 into the float chamber `17 operates the vacuum breaker 10. Should the level continueto rise during the interval of time that elapses between the opening of the vacuum breaker valve and the reduction of the supply of injection water, the water will flow over the weirs 14 into the storage reservoir 18 `which is `of such capacity as will amply containthe maximum quantity of water which could flow through the injection nozzles before the supply is reduced consequent upon the loss of vacuum in the condenser due to the inflow of air through the vacuum breaker valve.

While l have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those `skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What 1 claim is: 1. ln combination with a steam condenser of the direct contact type, a storage reservoir and means for permitting water to flow from the body of the condenser into the storage reservoir when a permissible lmaximum high level of water within the condenser body has been reached 2. In combination with a steam condenser i of the direct contact type, a storage reservoir, and a weir separating the body of the condenser from the storage reservoir, the height of which corresponds to the maximum height to which it is desired water shall be able to rise in the condenser.

3. 1n combination with a steam condenser v of the direct contact type, a storage reservoir, means for permitting water to flow from the body of the condenser into the storage reservoir when a permissible maximum high level of water within thev condenser body has been' reached, an air extraction pump, and a pipe connecting lthe storage reservoir with an operative portion of said pump for the purpose of draining said reservoir. i

4L. In combination with a steam condenser of the direct contact type, a storage' reservoir, a Weir separating the body of the condenser fromthe storage reservoir, the height of which corresponds to the maximum height to which it is desired water shall be able to rise in the condenser, an airextraction pump of the two stage type, and a pipe connecting the storagereservoir with the second stage of said pump for the purpose of draining said reservoir.

5. ln combination with a steam condenser ofthe direct contact type, a storage reservoir at one side of the condenser, a weir separating the body of the condenser from the storage reservoir, the 'height of'which corresponds to the maximum .height to which it is desired water shall be able to rise in the condenser, a float 'chamber at another side of the condenser, a weir separating 'the body' of the condenser from the float chamber and havingy an vopening therein at a lower level than the weir separating the reservoir from the condenser, and a iioat controlled vacuum breaker responsive to the level of 'water in the float chamber, the arrangement being such that upon an abnormal risev of water within the condenser body the float operated vacuum breaker will be first operated to establish an yatmospheric pressurewithin the condenser, and upon a continued rise of water to the permissible maximum highy level, the excess Will iiow `into said reservoir.

In testimony whereof, l have'hereunto H subscribed my name this fourteeni'zhy day of April, 1921.

` KARL BALUMANN. 

